Census survey: Portland incomes up, poverty down

Portlands household income hasnt changed much in the past year, but was still a little higher than many other cities across the nation, according information released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Census 2012 American Community Survey found that the median household income in the Portland area was $56,978, not much of a change from the $56,023 recorded in 2011.

The survey also reported Thursday that 14 percent of people in the Portland area were in poverty in 2012, a decrease from 15 percent in 2011. In 2012, 13.5 percent of the areas population lacked health insurance coverage, a decrease from 14.4 percent in 2011.

Across all U.S. metro areas, the survey reported that median household income was $53,607 in 2012 (not much different from $53,545 in 2011), the poverty rate remained at 15.5 percent, and the uninsured rate decreased from 15 percent to 14.7 percent since 2011.

The American Community Survey provides a range of statistics about all communities in the country  including the Portland area. The survey is the only source of local statistics for most of the 40 topics it covers, such as educational attainment, housing, employment, commuting, language spoken at home, nativity, ancestry and selected monthly homeowner costs.

Among the surveys findings for Portland:

 EducationIn 2012, 45.5 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds were enrolled in school, little different from 44.5 percent in 2011. Nationally, 48.7 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds living in metro areas were enrolled in school in 2012.

Among the Portland area's 25-and-older population, 91.4 percent had completed high school or more in 2012, an increase from 90.4 percent in 2011. Among all U.S. metro areas, 86.7 percent were high school graduates or higher, an increase from 86.3 percent in 2011.

About 35.1 percent of the Portland areas 25-and-older population had a bachelor's degree or higher in 2012. Nationally, 31.2 percent had a bachelor's degree in 2012, up from 30.6 percent in 2011.

 HousingIn 2012, the median value for an owner-occupied home in the Portland metro area was $249,300, a decrease from $258,800 in 2011. Across all U.S. metro areas, homes had a median value of $188,300 in 2012, a decrease from $191,000 in 2011.

In 2012, the median rent plus utilities was $934. Renters in metro areas across the U.S. paid $925 in 2012.

 Foreign-BornPopulationAbout 12.2 percent of Portland-area residents were foreign-born in 2012. Among all U.S. metro areas, 14.8 percent of the population was foreign-born.